Integrated Nature Conservation and Sustainable Resource Management in the Hin Nam No Region Bualapha District Office On behalf of: for Natural Resources and Environment P.O.Box 555, Thakhek, Khammouane, Lao PDR _____________________________________________________________________________________ Monitoring of Plant diversity in the Hin Nan No National Protected Area: Botanical Report Author: Associate Professor Dr. Vichith Lamxay National University of Laos, Faculty of Science, Biology Department Vientiane, May 2014 Executive summary Background: Biodiversity Conservation is the most important goal of the Hin Nam No National Protected Area (NPA). It is also the main goal of the German supported project to promote co-management by surrounding communities and the area management authorities there. The Hin Nam No NPA covers approximately 82.000 ha of predominantly karst/ limestone ecosystems with primary forest of mixed deciduous forest and limestone semi evergreen forest. It is situated in Bualapha district of Khammouane Province and its landscape is contiguous with the similar landscape across the Vietnamese border, covered by the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The NPA management unit needs mechanisms that allow it to measure whether the biodiversity values of the NPA are getting better or worse. Villager‟s participation is essential as there is not enough staff to work on monitoring. For wildlife, a participatory monitoring strategy was prepared by consultants in October 2013 (Berkmueller, 2013) and is being implemented now. For plant resources, only a checklist of 521 species exists (Walston 1999). Some Forest types were described, but little is known about their conservation status or the extent of surface area covered by each forest type. To set a baseline for monitoring, a list of key plant species to be protected and a smaller list of indicator species are needed. A team of botany experts from the National University of Laos implemented a rapid botany survey in the village of Ban Chalou from 24/03/2014 to 05/04/20124 and 27–30/4/ 2014 to develop these baseline lists. Objectives: the aim of the survey was to assess what plant species should be prioritized for conservation as key species and to define a shorter list of indicator species for monitoring. A secondary goal was to strengthen the capacity of the biodiversity monitoring and livelihood unit to do assessments of plant diversity, especially working with women. Methods: A rapid survey was made at Ban Chalou, N 17° 17' 08.5" E 105° 56' 51.6", Boualapha district, Khammouane province, in the Hin Nam No NPA. In this botanical survey, ground transect walks were combined with and walking with semi-structured interviews to record local names, use and conservation status of plant species. Samples were collected photographed and field identification was made by using the knowledge of botanical experts. All selected plant species were recorded and analyzed according to the Red list of IUCN and List of CITES for finding to threat levels and option for future monitoring and developing to sustainable harvesting. Findings on Forest Types: Six types of forest were recognized in Hin Nam No NPA: (1) Semi-evergreen forest, (2 Mixed deciduous forest, (3) Degraded forest, (4) Bamboo forest, (5) 1 Riverine/Riverside forest and (6) Karst forest. Each type was described and more than 182 species of plants were recorded. Inside the Hin Nam NO NPA core zone called Kouan Ka Ane zone (a large flat area along the Houay Ka Ane river and along the foot of limestone mountains), the main forest type is Semi-evergreen forest. This forest is a prime habitat for wildlife. Bear claw marks were seen, Douc langurs, black langurs and a great hornbill were encountered. The semi-evergreen forest is dominated by large trees belonging to the Dipterocarp family. Small patches of Bamboo Forests are found in areas of degraded evergreen forest just north of the village on the slopes leading up to the Phou Chang King Mountain range. On the top of these mountains there are the karst forests with Diospyros curranii Merr.; D. variegata Kurz and D. wallichii King & Camble ex King (Ebenaceae) and Dracaena loureiri (Agavaceae). This is a unique vegetation type that needs to be conserved. It is characterized by trees growing on bare rocks with very little soil. The Mixed Deciduous Forest occurs mainly to the south of the village, at slopes of the non-limestone mountain of Phou Louang. It is dominated by large trees such as Lagerstroemia calyculata and L. floribunda (Lythraceae). This area is important for NTFP collection. It also harbors a large stand of „Mak Tao‟ sugar palms (Arenga westerhoutti) which has economic potential for sustainable harvesting. This forest type is the most vulnerable to agricultural expansion and many trees were recently felled for the electricity power line. Two types of disturbed forests at the foot hill of Phou Louang were classified as the pure stand of tall grass of Thysanolaena latifolia (Poaceae), the old disturbed area (more than 5 years after slush and burn) and the disturbed forest for 3-5 years ago. These are also important NTFP collection areas. The Riverine Forest along the Xe Bang Fai river is characterized by “mai ka ma” Saraca indica and Homonoia ripari. The name “Kouan Ka Ane” is derived from the word “Ka Ma”. These trees protected the river side with their large spread fibrous roots, they are useful and should be protected. Findings on species listing for conservation and monitoring: Herbarium vouchers were collected for 166 species and stored in the University Herbarium. They are still being analyzed and are likely to contain new species and new species records for Laos. There may be a need to add these to the list of key species as well as to propose these for IUCN red-listing. A set of eight criteria (FAO, 2002) were used to rank these species into order of conservation need. Some species are already on CITES list and Red List of IUCN of threatened species. A set of 124 Key species of plants (included 45 species of Orchid) were thus prioritized in need of 2 conservation. The top 22 woody species on the list as well as all 45 orchid species (total 67 species) were selected as Indicator species (Table 3). They are classified into four groups: (a) 5 Karst Species: Cycas simplicipinna, Dracaena loureiri, Diospyros cf. curranii, Diospyros cf. variegate and Diospyros cf. wallichii. The first two are screw-palms, the other three belong the the “mai moun” group of rare and valuable ebony wood. (b) 12 Evergreen Forest Species: 4 rosewood relatives: Dalbergia cultrate, Dalbergia tonkinensis, Pterocarpus macrocarpus and Erythrophleum fordii , 5 Dipterocarp timber species: Dipterocarpus alatus, Dipterocarpus costatus, Dipterocarpus retusus, Hopea ferrea, and Shorea thorelii and three others: Fagraea fragrans, Nageia wallichiana and Sindora laotica. (c) 5 Non-Timber Forest Species: Arenga westerhoutii, the forest sugar palm, Daemonorops jenkinsiana, a rattan, Cansjera rheedii, a medicinal plant, Dialium indicum, a fruit tree and Gnetum montanum, an ornamental. (d) 45 Orchid Species: Dendrobium anosmum, Dendrobium aphyllum, Dendrobium capillipes,Dendrobium chrysotoxum, Dendrobium crystallinum, Dendrobium fimbriatum, Dendrobium gratiosissimum, Dendrobium lindleyi,Dendrobium primulinum,Dendrobium pulchellum, Dendrobium signatum, Aerides houlletianum, Aerides falcatum, Bromheadia aporoides, Acriopsis indica,Acampe rigida, Acriopsis indica, Agrostophyllum planicaule, Apostasia wallichii, Arundina graminifolia, Calanthe veratrifolia, Cephalantheropsis obcordata, Cleisostoma birmanicum, Cleisostoma simondii,Coelogyne fimbriata, Eria lasiopetala, Eria ornate, Eria pannea, Eria tomentosa, Liparis viridiflora, Pholidota imbricate, Renanthera coccinea, Rhynchostylis retusa, Thrixspermum centipeda, Thrixspermum leucarachne, Vandopsis lissochiloides, Zeuxine affinis, Panisea albiflora, Phalaenopsis gibbosa, Pteroceras simondianum, Thrixspermum fleuryi, Anoectochilus calcareus, Mischobulbum longiscapum and Rhomboda petelotii. Other observations and Recommendations Threats are illegal logging of valuable timber trees inside the NPA and clearing forest for agricultural purposes, mainly outside the NPA at the foot of Phou Louang close to the village. Another threat to biodiversity at the Hin Nam No is the forest fires which seem to occur each year during the dry season over much of Kouan Ka Ane. Almost all these fires are set by people for clearing land and probably for providing grazing and facilitate hunting. For follow-up it is recommended to do more detailed forest inventories to develop baseline data on the densities of indicator species. Secondly, satellite image interpretation could be combined with field observations to determine the distribution of the six forest types throughout the Hin Nam No NPA. Thirdly, more botany surveys are desired to capture all the unknown plant species likely to be hiding inside Hin Nam No NPA. Lastly, resource inventories of NTFPs like Mak Tao would be useful. 3 Table of Contents Executive summary ........................................................................................................................ 1 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 2 Methods: .................................................................................................................................. 4 3 Results: ...................................................................................................................................